������Ƶ

A Data Protection Impact Assessment helps organizations spot and manage privacy risks when handling sensitive personal data. Swiss companies use these assessments to evaluate how their data processing activities might affect people's privacy rights, especially when using new technologies or handling sensitive information like health records or financial details.

Under Switzerland's Federal Data Protection Act, organizations must conduct these assessments whenever their data processing could create high risks for individuals. The assessment identifies potential privacy issues, evaluates their likelihood and impact, and outlines specific steps to protect personal data. It's particularly important for Swiss businesses working with AI systems, large-scale surveillance, or processing sensitive personal information.

Start a Data Protection Impact Assessment before launching any new system or process that handles sensitive personal information in Switzerland. This includes rolling out AI-powered recruitment tools, implementing workplace surveillance, processing health data, or collecting biometric information like fingerprints for building access.

Swiss law requires these assessments when your data processing might create high risks for individuals' privacy rights. Key triggers include large-scale monitoring of public spaces, systematic profiling of customers, or processing sensitive data about political views, health status, or criminal records. Running the assessment early helps identify privacy risks and design better data protection measures from the start.

• Data Privacy Impact Assessment: Evaluates overall privacy risks of new projects or systems, focusing on data collection, storage, and processing methods
• Data Breach Impact Assessment: Specifically analyzes potential data breach scenarios and their impact on individuals and the organization
• Legitimate Interest Impact Assessment: Balances business interests against individual privacy rights when processing data without explicit consent under Swiss law

• Data Protection Officers: Lead the assessment process, coordinate with stakeholders, and ensure compliance with Swiss privacy laws
• IT Teams: Provide technical details about data processing systems, security measures, and technological safeguards
• Legal Departments: Review assessments for compliance with Swiss regulations and help identify legal risks
• Business Unit Managers: Explain operational needs and provide insights about data processing activities
• External Privacy Consultants: Often support organizations with specialized expertise and independent review
• Federal Data Protection Authority: May review assessments during investigations or audits

• Project Overview: Map out your data processing activities, including types of data, collection methods, and storage systems
• Risk Identification: Document potential privacy risks to individuals, considering Swiss privacy standards and industry-specific requirements
• Data Flow Analysis: Create diagrams showing how personal data moves through your organization and to third parties
• Security Measures: List existing and planned technical safeguards protecting personal data
• Stakeholder Input: Gather feedback from IT, legal, and business teams about operational needs and concerns
• Documentation Review: Check existing privacy policies and procedures to ensure consistency with your assessment

• Project Description: Detailed outline of data processing activities, their purpose, and necessity under Swiss law
• Data Categories: Comprehensive list of personal data types being processed, including any sensitive information
• Risk Assessment: Analysis of potential privacy impacts, their likelihood, and severity for individuals
• Security Measures: Documentation of technical and organizational safeguards protecting personal data
• Legal Basis: Clear identification of the legal grounds for processing under Swiss data protection law
• Mitigation Strategy: Specific steps to address identified risks and ensure compliance
• Consultation Records: Evidence of stakeholder input and DPO review where required

A Data Protection Impact Assessment differs significantly from a Data Protection Policy in several key ways. While both documents deal with data protection, they serve distinct purposes under Swiss privacy law.

• Purpose and Timing: A DPIA evaluates specific risks before implementing new data processing activities, while a Data Protection Policy sets ongoing rules for handling personal data
• Scope of Analysis: DPIAs focus on particular projects or processes, examining their unique privacy impacts. Policies provide general organizational guidelines that apply company-wide
• Legal Requirements: Swiss law mandates DPIAs for high-risk processing activities, whereas policies are general compliance documents
• Update Frequency: DPIAs are project-specific and need updating when processing changes significantly. Policies require regular but less frequent reviews
• Primary Users: DPIAs are mainly used by project teams and privacy officers, while policies guide all employees handling personal data